| To maintain good health, we need to eat a healthy | | | | next week, then drop off another cup for the next |
| balanced diet. Couldn't be easier could it? Due to our | | | | week etc. although taking some time this will work |
| diverse life styles, eating a balanced diet is much | | | | without being hard work. |
| harder than we imagine. Most articles dealing with | | | | Do the same for the doughnuts, and though in the |
| healthy living tend to list food sources that are | | | | beginning you may wish to supplement with a health |
| beneficial and give reasons why we should eat more | | | | bar try to wean yourself of even these and change |
| of them, that's fine as far as it goes, but how do | | | | the coffee and doughnut for a piece of fruit. Just |
| you manage it? | | | | don't go cold turkey and give up everything in the |
| This article is not so much about the right foods, you | | | | one day, unless you have very good will power, that |
| know what they are, nor is it about a weight loss | | | | way leads to failure. |
| diet; though if you are overweight, along with some | | | | Quiet often our diet is governed by what is easiest, |
| exercise and a healthy diet you will lose weight. This | | | | enter soft drink and fast food; instant gratification |
| is about strategies that we can adopt to help us eat | | | | equals long term problems. Here is another myth |
| a more balanced diet long term. | | | | buster, it is not always the fast food that is the |
| Let's start right there, there are no right and wrong | | | | problem; if you were to have a beef patty with salad |
| foods. The idea that there are some foods you must | | | | and a bread roll laid out on a plate, it would be |
| not eat is totally wrong. There are though foods you | | | | considered a healthy meal. Why then if you put them |
| should try to eat more of and those that you should | | | | together is this bad for us? First did you notice we |
| eat less of. You may be able to remain on your diet | | | | didn't have the fries with that? But mostly it is the |
| longer if you realize that you can have an ice cream | | | | soft drink! When did you last have a burger without a |
| or chocolate, you just can't do it too often. In other | | | | soft drink? And don't think because you have a diet |
| words it is the balance we are after. | | | | coke it doesn't count. It is the fizz that makes you |
| Making ridiculous changes to your diet overnight | | | | fat! |
| probably isn't a good idea, after a few days your | | | | Spur of the moment eating doesn't allow for healthy |
| resolve is going to weaken and you will end up | | | | meal planning, try to plan meals in advance. If time is |
| reverting to your old ways. It is better to make small | | | | an issue try cooking more than you need for one |
| changes, this way it will have a more lasting effect. | | | | meal and freezing the remaining portions for another |
| Before you consider your actual diet, look at your | | | | occasion. Don't do your shopping in a hurry, allow |
| lifestyle. This is very important because you need to | | | | yourself time to look at other options that might be |
| plan your meals around your everyday activities. | | | | quick but healthy, if you are in a hurry you will always |
| Often people will say "It's hard for me to eat | | | | pick the same things. |
| properly because I go out a lot." or "I'm a shift | | | | The saying a little of what you fancy does you good |
| worker and meals are never at the right time." These | | | | is true, the art is in knowing how much a "little" is. |
| are valid reasons, but they can be overcome with | | | | Eating is a great social activity and it is easy to end |
| proper planning. | | | | up eating and drinking more than we planned when |
| To overhaul your diet you will need to work out | | | | we get together with friends. To over indulge once in |
| what you are consuming now. Be honest with | | | | a while is not a problem, but if you have a busy |
| yourself, if you are drinking ten cups of coffee and | | | | social life, or business requires you to dine out on a |
| eating doughnuts every day then acknowledge the | | | | regular basis, then you need to work out a strategy |
| fact. Sometimes it can be a shock when you add it | | | | so that your healthy eating plan isn't compromised. |
| all up, rather like getting home after shopping and | | | | Choose the healthier options on the menu, forego |
| you wonder where all the money went. Yes tally it all | | | | the side orders, restrict the number of courses you |
| up and you will be surprised. | | | | have, don't have the coffee to finish, any or all of |
| Once you have come to grips with your actual diet, | | | | these will keep you on your healthy diet. |
| as opposed to what you thought it was, you can | | | | A healthy diet won't just happen, it doesn't work just |
| take steps to improve it. Let's take the ten cups of | | | | to give up this or that, or to go on some fad diet. If |
| coffee and doughnuts as an example. The obvious | | | | you are in for the long haul, and you could be living to |
| solution is to cut down, but you should have a plan. | | | | a hundred, you need to be on a healthy balanced diet |
| How many cups of coffee should you have a day? | | | | for the rest of your life. Not a weight loss diet but a |
| Now if you cut out just one cup per day for the | | | | balanced one. |